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Amazon is under fire following a Senate investigation accusing the retail giant of prioritizing speed over worker safety while manipulating injury data to downplay hazards in its warehouses.
The findings, released by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, follow an 18-month investigation involving seven years of injury data and testimony from over 130 Amazon workers.
The report alleges Amazon warehouses recorded injury rates significantly higher than industry averages, with workers nearly twice as likely to be injured as their peers in other warehouses. In 2023 alone, Amazon facilities reported 30% more injuries than the average for the sector.
Investigators concluded that Amazon’s demanding work pace undermines its own safety protocols, leaving employees exposed to unnecessary risks. “Amazon’s continued and daily endangerment of the nation’s second-largest private-sector workforce must end. The United States Congress cannot allow any company to treat its workers as disposable,” the report stated.
Amazon pushes back on safety
Amazon has strongly refuted the findings, labelling the investigation as biased. In a statement released Monday, the company claimed the report misrepresents its safety efforts and insisted significant progress has been made in reducing workplace injuries.
“This investigation wasn’t a fact-finding mission, but rather an attempt to collect information and twist it to support a false narrative,” the company said.
The retail giant also defended its method of comparing injury rates, which the report criticized as misleading. According to the investigation, Amazon benchmarks its rates against only large warehouses - those employing 1,000 or more people - which typically have higher injury averages. Many Amazon facilities employ fewer workers, however, and broader comparisons would show the company in a much harsher light, the report argued.
Injured workers discouraged from seeking care
The report further accused Amazon of discouraging injured workers from seeking medical treatment outside the company. The investigation detailed testimony and records suggesting Amazon’s on-site health centers obstruct workers from accessing necessary care. Practices included blaming workers for their injuries, withholding expert consultations, and denying referrals to external medical providers.
The findings align with previous allegations made by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which last year concluded that warehouse tasks like repetitive twisting, bending, and long-reaching movements put Amazon employees at high risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
The report also highlighted cases of chronic pain, mobility loss, and permanent disabilities among workers, linking the conditions to unsafe practices in the company’s facilities.
Despite Amazon’s insistence that its safety measures are effective, the investigation has amplified calls for tighter regulations and oversight of warehouse operations. As pressure mounts, the company faces growing scrutiny over its handling of worker safety and injury reporting.
